Abstract
During the whole life cycle of mammals, new neurons are constantly regenerated in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus and in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles. Thanks to emerging methodologies, great progress has been made in the characterization of spinal cord endogenous neural stem cells (ependymal cells) and identification of their role in adult spinal cord development. As recently evidenced, both the intrinsic and extrinsic molecular mechanisms of ependymal cells control the sequential steps of the adult spinal cord neurogenesis. This review introduces the concept of adult endogenous neurogenesis, the reaction of ependymal cells after adult spinal cord injury (SCI), the heterogeneity and markers of ependymal cells, the factors that regulate ependymal cells, and the niches that impact the activation or differentiation of ependymal cells.
Highlights
The spinal cord injury (SCI) of adult mammals destroys the original anatomic architecture, which leads to cell death; inflammation, demyelination and gliacyte proliferation in response to the SCI jointly trigger the secondary damage
During the past few decades, endogenous multipotent neural stem cells have been discovered in the specialized regions of the adult central nervous system (CNS), and some advances have been achieved in the treatment of CNS injury and neurodegenerative diseases by activating the endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) in vivo (Agrawal and Schaffer, 2005; Conti and Cattaneo, 2008)
In various SCI models, such as contusions, compressions, and partial sections with the central canal well preserved, injuries of different fashions and severities all lead to extensive proliferation of ependymal cells (Johansson et al, 1999; Lacroix et al, 2014; Meletis et al, 2008; Mothe and Tator, 2005;)
Summary
Hongmei Duan1†, Wei Song2†, Wen Zhao, Yudan Gao, Zhaoyang Yang1* & Xiaoguang Li1**. Great progress has been made in the characterization of spinal cord endogenous neural stem cells (ependymal cells) and identification of their role in adult spinal cord development. As recently evidenced, both the intrinsic and extrinsic molecular mechanisms of ependymal cells control the sequential steps of the adult spinal cord neurogenesis. This review introduces the concept of adult endogenous neurogenesis, the reaction of ependymal cells after adult spinal cord injury (SCI), the heterogeneity and markers of ependymal cells, the factors that regulate ependymal cells, and the niches that impact the activation or differentiation of ependymal cells. Adult endogenous neurogenesis, neural stem cells, ependymal cells, spinal cord injury, adult mammals, regeneration
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
